Improvement in watch-keys



' w. s. HICKS.

WATCH-KEY.

No.181,074'. Patented Aug.15, 1876.

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N. PETERS. FHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER. WASHINGTON, D c.

UN T D STATES PATENT OFFIGE.

WILLIAM s. HIoKs, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT lNWATCH-KEYS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 181,074, dated August 15,1876 application filed July 17, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM S. HIoKs, of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain Improvements in Watch-Keys, of which the following is a specification:

My invention consists of a watch-key having its case made in the style or form of a cannon, with the bit of the key arranged to be forced in or out of the case by means of a screw, as hereinafter nIore fully set forth.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the key complete. Figs. 2, 3, and at are viewsof the same enlarged and partly in section, to illustrate the details of construction.

To construct a key on my plan I make the case A oftwo parts, a and b, as represented in Fig. 3, the part or having the trunnions 0 secured to it, as shown, while the part b has a ring, F, secured to its end, as a means of attaching or suspending the key. The internal parts or mechanism consists, in this instance, of three parts-the rod'B, which has a square hole or socket in its outer end, as indicated in dotted lines in Figs. 1, 2, and 4, and a pin, 0, projecting laterally from near its opposite end, as shown in Fig. 4. This is fitted within a tube, C, which has a longitudinal slot, l, for the pin 0 to slide in, as shown in Fig. 2, and over the upper part of this tube 0 is fitted the spirally-slotted tube D, as shown in Fig. 2. When these three parts, B, G, and D, are

- put together, as represented in Fig. 2, they will operate the same as an ordinary screwpcncil, so that by turning the slotted tube D and holding the tube 0 stationary the key bit 13 will be forced out or in, the same as a pencilpoint is. The parts being thus constructed, the part b of the case is slipped upon the end of the screw mechanism, and is soldered fast to the screw sleeve or tube 1). The part a of the case is also slipped on, and soldered or otherwise fastened at its lower end to the tube 0. As the two parts a and b of the case are thus left free to turn separately with the parts of the mechanism to which they are respectively attached, it will be seen that the keybit B can be readily protruded or retracted at will. If desired, the screw mechanism known as the magic movement may be substituted for that above described, and made to answer the same purpose. A key thus made is highly ornamental, and the socket orbit is protected by being drawn within the case.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim is- In combination with the case A, composed of the parts a and b, the bit or tube B and the screw mechanism, substantially as described.

WILLIAM S. HICKS.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM H. SEMBLER, EDWARD D. HICKS. 

